"Nearly Famous Mommy" Blog

2009 Holiday Survey

What are moms spending on gifts this holiday season?

Find out the results from the 2009 survey from nearly 1,400 moms.

Post your comments to the blog!

You know what the holidays are like in your own family, but what about everyone else's? We peeked behind closed doors for you and got the inside story from nearly 1,400 BabyCenter moms.

We were happily surprised to learn that moms are spending more on gifts this year than last - a sign, perhaps, that not just cheer but economic recovery is in the air. (Most of the dough goes to the kids' gifts, and only a little to the boss and the pet.) And moms reveal a lingering love for values that may have been reinvigorated by a bad economy - things like saving, being home, and appreciating what you have.

There inner Martha Stewart is evident in more ways than one. An impressive two-thirds of moms will whip up homemade gifts to supplement their store-bought counterparts, and most will stay home for the holidays, with nearly half hosting a party. Plenty will stay home to shop, too - 90 percent of moms will be doing at least some gift-buying online.

What's on their top-secret shopping lists? Read on to find out what moms say are this season's must-haves, and learn what they say not to ever get anyone - even your mother-in-law.

Moms are more Santa than Scrooge this season

While last year was tough and family budgets were tight, this year's looking jollier. We asked moms what they're planning to spend for the 2009 holiday season and the results are in: more.

On average, moms expect to spend a total of $825 on gifts this season for everyone on their list - that's a full 32 percent more than last year. Their children are set to rake in the most and their pets the least (sorry, Fluffy). Here's how the shopping pie's getting sliced:

$259 - your children

$123 - your spouse/partner

$92 - grandparents

$88 - cousins and extended family

$82 - others

$50 - aunts and uncles

$50 - friends

$27 - your spouse or partner's friends

$26 - your work colleagues

$15 - your manager or your spouse's or partner's manager

$13 - pets

How much do you spend per person on holiday gifts? Post your comments to the blog!

Already, these funds are flowing. Half of moms say they started shopping before Thanksgiving, and by mid-December, almost three-quarters plan to be done. Of course, we can't all be overachievers - one-quarter of moms say they fully expect to finish shopping at the last minute.

Gettin' homey for the holidays

The holidays aren't all about the green stuff, though (and we're not talking about those fragrant pine boughs). The uptick in spending doesn't tell the full story. Maybe because of how tough things were last year for most families (and still are for many), our survey showed that homey holiday habits are the name of the game.

For one thing, more than two out of three families plan to stay home for the holidays this year. And many celebrations are taking on homemade flair, with 43 percent of moms hosting holiday parties and 64 percent supplementing their shopping with personalized, homemade gifts.

Overall, the focus seems to be on family time and building traditions. "It's all about creating memories and traditions for the kids," explains one mom. "I want them to look back when they're parents and remember the traditions that we had as a family."

How will your family celebrate this year? Post your comments to the blog!

Moms are finding ways to spread holiday cheer outside the home, too, in the form of philanthropy, donations, and volunteering. While cash donations are down 9 percent this year, the spirit of giving is way up. The number of moms planning to volunteer this holiday season is up 43 percent from last year, and about half plan to donate food and clothes to those in need.

Fa-la-la-la-la, her favorite things

Even though moms add a lot to their plate during the holidays (they told us the bulk of the shopping, decorating, and planning falls to them), they still love the season. Almost 90 percent say they look forward to it every year.

What are their favorite things that make it all worthwhile? Small moments that add up to sweet memories. Among them:

• Wrapping presents beautifully (more than three-quarters of moms say bestowing pretty packages gives them a happy glow)

• Personalizing holiday cards with pictures of the kids (about 60 percent of moms send photo cards, and almost all of them feature the cutest members of the household)

• Chopping down their own tree (one in five tree-buying families will do it Paul Bunyan-style at a tree farm)

• Seeing their kids in holiday pajamas (more than any other type of holiday wear, parents love to deck their kids in cute, seasonal PJs - this tops the list at 56 percent)

• Baking cookies with the kids to leave out for Santa (two-thirds of moms who celebrate Christmas report looking forward to this special treat).

A sneak peek at Mom's shopping list

Moms tell us they'll do 96 percent of the family's shopping this season - and that's a lot. Two-thirds are buying gifts for 10 or more people, and almost a third buy gifts for 15 or more.

What's Mom planning to buy and stash away in the gift closet? First and foremost on the list are toys, with a lot of buzz over Where the Wild Things Are, Barbie, and Elmo. Electronic toys are up there, too, like Wii and PS3 games and MP3 players. Clothes and accessories are a close second, and in the third slot are gift cards. As one mom put it, she gets people gift cards "so people can buy what they want. Money is too tight to waste right now on a gift someone may like." Two gifts moms aren't giving this year? Cars and fruitcakes.

Here, moms spill the beans about what's on their list:

83% - toys

80% - clothes, shoes, and accessories

68% - gift cards

53% - movies

36% - baby gear

31% - music

27% - other

22% - tools and other home improvement gear

20% - gourmet foods, wine, and beer

14% - bikes, big wheels, and scooters

9% - digital cameras or camcorders

5% - cell phones and smart phones

4% - Blu-Ray players

4% - DVD players

2% - HDTV

2% - investments

1% - fruitcakes

1% cars

With lots of people to buy for, 90 percent of moms are keeping an eagle eye out for ways to save. And 88 percent will save both time and money by shopping not just in stores but online. (Only 10 percent won't be shopping online at all. How did our grandmother's do it?)

Most moms who need gift ideas turn to their partners (about 60 percent), but about 20 percent seek help from other moms online when they're unsure what to get their kids.

Um, no thanks: Worst gifts ever

Imagine: You eagerly pull the wrapping paper off a gift only to find a complete dud nestled in the tissue paper. It's happened to more than half the moms in our survey, and while the most common letdowns were ugly holiday sweaters (17 percent) and fruitcakes (6 percent), moms reported a bunch of unusual offenders. Here's a list of the most heinous (and hilarious) "worst gifts ever":

• Spam
• Ugly impersonal snow globe from my mother-in-law
• Horsetail hair bracelet
• Taxidermy duck
• Already-burned candle
• A ceramic lighthouse my mother received as a gift for hosting a candle party
• Food scale
• Used eye shadow
• Stuffed moose
• Granny panties
• Smoke detector
• A dollar-store dustpan from my mother-in-law
• Game system that my (now-ex) husband bought so he could play it
• An item I'd given to the gift giver the previous holiday
• Plastic shark that sang "Mac the Knife"
• Shotgun
• Clothing two sizes too big from my mother-in-law
• An ugly shirt, which I returned for a $3.99 credit
• Things that I'm allergic to - and the giver knew it
• Six-pack of white socks from my boss
• A notepad that said "Thank you for your subscription!" from my mother-in-law
• Broken salt-and-pepper shakers in the shape of cats

What is the worst gift you ever received? Post your comments to the blog!

Article Source: BabyCenter.com - http://www.babycenter.com/0_happy-at-home-for-the-holidays-results-from-our-2009-holiday_10325135.bc?intcmp=Nav_HP_Hero2&pn=BC%20Homepage

Photo Source: Google Images - http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&source=hp&q=holiday+shopping&gbv=2&aq=f&oq=&aqi=

Post-Thanksgiving Workout Tips

Now that we have all stuffed our faces with the wonderful Thanksgiving fixings, it's time to get back on track.

Follow these tips to get yourself back into shape.

Comments or tips?

Post them to the blog!

Celebrity Trainer Jackie Warner's Post-Thanksgiving Tips
by: Nicole Dorsey-Straff

Now you've done it! You're in a food coma and feeling sluggish and flabby after eating 5,000 to 10,000 calories yesterday, but celebrity trainer Jackie Warner is here to get you back on track. "The worst thing you can do is beat yourself up  because you overate and got a little lazy. However, you can initiate a new exercise and balanced eating regimen to compensate," said Warner, star of the new DVD "Personal Training with Jackie: Power Circuit Training."

• As soon as you open your eyes, schedule a yoga or Spinning class, or call to make an appointment with a personal trainer. "Start your day by being consistent and accountable to exercise for the rest of the week," said Warner. "Establish a healthier, new pattern so you stop beating yourself over the food."

• All of those fattening Thanksgiving leftovers are just sitting in your refrigerator, calling your name. "It's fine to enjoy your meals, just do it in the proper order of the good, the bad, and the ugly," Warner said. That means nibble the leaner veggie side dishes first, followed by white meat turkey and a dollop of gravy. Then move to the more fattening foods such as stuffing and sweet potatoes, and finish with a slice of pumpkin pie or fruitcake.

• Help quell your cravings and mood swings for excessive sweet calories by avoiding heavy snacks, especially at night. "A slice of coconut custard is not a snack -- it's a dessert," Warner said. Before you start scarfing all the leftovers, Warner suggests you brew a strong cup of herbal or green tea and sip steadily to quell the oral fixation. You can also just dump the desserts in the garbage or give it to a neighbor!

• Get outside and move around for 20 minutes. "A lot of holiday overeating raises cortisol stress levels, and taking a walk, riding your bike or lacing up your running shoes can decrease these stress hormones and simultaneously inhibit your appetite," said Warner, who has trained Amanda Peet and Kerry Washington at her Southern California gym Sky Sport and Spa.

• For the next week or so, drink a glass of water with lemon before meals. "Lemon is a natural liver detoxifier packed with Vitamin C which may help detox a body that's fighting to metabolize all those extra calories," Warner said. Cold or warm water spritzed with lemon may also suppress your appetite. Most importantly, realize your own triggers and learn how to circumvent them. "This holiday only comes once a year so enjoy it in a healthier way," Warner said.

Article Source: ThatsFit.com - http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/11/27/celeb-trainer-jackie-warners-post-thanksgiving-tips/

Photo Source: Google Images - http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&safe=active&q=thanksgiving+workout&sa=N&start=21&ndsp=21

TV-watching Guidelines

How much TV should your child be watching?

Post your tips and comments to the blog!

The best way to approach television is to think of it as refined sugar: You want your kids to enjoy the seductive stuff without consuming it to excess. So you'll need to stay on top of the time your child spends in front of the television. The average American child watches three to four hours a day, despite the recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics that kids 2 and older watch no more than one to two hours daily. The AAP recommends that kids under 2 watch no television at all.

Starting out tough from day one is the key to keeping viewing time under control. It's a lot easier to relax your standards later on than it is to wean a 5-year-old from a three-times-a-day Barney habit. Here are some tips on how to monitor your child's television viewing:

Monitoring your child's TV Viewing

• Limit the amount of TV your child watches. More than two hours a day is too much. To make it seem to your child that they're watching more - and to keep their little brain from going on autopilot as they watch - break up viewing into ten- to 15-minute increments. You should also keep the television out of your child's bedroom and turned off during mealtimes.

• Avoid setting a firm TV time "allowance for your child. This seems counterintuitive, but it's surprisingly effective. You may want to let your child come to you when they want to watch and keep to yourself what the absolute maximum is. That way, you'll avoid tacitly sending the message that there's a certain amount they "should" be watching.

• Make television physically inconvenient. Too often, television is a backdrop to family life: It blares away in the den or great room while the kids are playing, Mom's cooking, or the family is eating. Consider putting the TV in a small, out-of-the-way room in the house (on the second floor, if you have one). Another way to keep the TV from being front and center: Keep it in a cabinet that remains closed when the TV is off.

Choosing what to watch

• Go with calm, quiet programs. Slower-paced viewing gives your child time to think and absorb. Lots of random activity, like the kind in action/adventure cartoons, confuses children. Also, some research suggests that children who watch violence on TV are more likely to display aggressive behavior. Stay away from scary shows, too. Choose simple programs that emphasize interactivity, such as Blue's Clues. Ideal are shows that inspire your child to make sounds, say words, sing, and dance.
• Watch programs, not television. Rather than allowing your child to sit down and watch whatever is on, use the TV listings to select carefully what they are going to watch. Turn off the set when that program is over.

Your role

Watch TV with your children whenever possible. Try not to use the set as a babysitter. A recent study looked at three groups: children with unlimited access to television, children with moderate access who watched without a parent, and children with moderate access who watched with a parent. The last group scored significantly higher academically than did the other groups. That aside, just being there says to your child, "What you do is important to me."

Help your child become a critical viewer. Even young children can learn to watch television without "tuning out." Explain what's going on in the show and in the commercials (and clarify the difference between the two). Encourage your child to ask questions and relate what's happening in the show to their own life. If you have a DVR, consider recording programs. Then you can watch when you choose, and you can pause to discuss what's going on.

Make yourself a role model. Children are most affected by the example parents set, so don't channel surf or keep the TV on as background noise. If your kids see you eagerly sitting down every so often to watch a specific show and concentrating on what you're seeing, they'll recognize the potential for enjoyment TV actually promises.

Article Source: BabyCenter.com - http://www.babycenter.com/0_tv-watching-guidelines_64211.bc?intcmp=Nav_HP_Hero3&pn=BC%2520Homepage

Image Source: Google Images - http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&safe=active&ei=1w0LS4uUGpzStQPLk-hh&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=kids+watching+tv&spell=1&start=0